La La Land Love for Classic Hollywood

It’s no secret to the die hard Classic Hollywood fans that Hollywood has been struggling.

If it was a book first, it will probably be a movie soon. Gone are the days of original screenplays telling us stories we’ve never heard before.

The slapstick, musicals and noir of the 30’s and 40’s were followed by the 50’s showcase of the ideal family and the 60’s foray into sexual liberation. The 70’s brought us Space and Sci-Fi joy and the 80’s a feeling of extravagance and working girls. The 90’s helped us dive into self awareness and loathing but since then I can’t really find the Film themes as easily in our history anymore.

All the more reason to jump on the band wagon of loving La La Land. A homage to the classic films of old, featuring a classic storyline and dance moves you’ll have seen Gene Kelly perfect over and over again. This time it’s Ryan Gosling.

It’s no surprise that old soul Damien Chazelle directs this film. Inspired by timeless classics, he loves Singing in the Rain and directs La La Land with the hopes of stirring emotion. This films not about special effects or twists at the ending. It becomes more about the power of music and movement to stir emotion and the reality of the human condition.

Shot in LA, this film could have gone the extravagant route of Moulin Rouge or Chicago but instead feels authentic, real and sincere. It gives us the glimpse of joy and love we all find a hint of in our own lives and then places those times back into the puzzle of life-whole, complicated, but not forgotten.

Nominated for 7 Golden Globes, it’s taken home the AFI Movie of the Year Award ( 2017), and swept the Critics Choice Awards with 8 wins and 4 nominations. It’s current tally for awards is 29 wins and 40 nominations.

Go in with high expectations and compare it against the best films you know- you’re sure to find the feeling of home you’ve been craving.